ACT! by Sage 2010 Has a New Modern Look and Feel
Over it’s 20+ years of existence, ACT! has not made major user interface changes very often. From time to time they do make changes and make it easier for users to get started or navigate the program. ACT! 2010 has more changes than any version since ACT! 2005.
ACT! by Sage 2010 Has a New Modern Look and Feel
Below is a slideshow containing screenshots of the updated interface.
What I Like About the Updated User Interface
Lookup: The integrated lookup in the left hand Navbar is quick, intuitive, and flexible. Users can now quickly find information by simply typing in the “Contains:” box for a selected contact field type.
Buttons: I like the size of the buttons on the toolbar along the top. The bigger buttons will make it easier for new users.
Reports: If you’ve seen the Top 5 Overlooked Features of ACT! Video training series, you know I’m a big fan of reports. In my experience, Reports is one of the most underutilized functions of contact management or CRM software in small business (regardless of product).
Introducing a Reports view, and making it intuitive to use, will result in more users using reports. This is good for small business, as it is important to know what is working in your database, especially in this economy. The option to ‘favorite’ a report is smart as well.
What I Don’t Like About the Updated User Interface
Green: I understand marketing, and branding, but a light green color theme in any software would take me some time to get used to. Good news, they do have an option to change the color scheme. I found the Sage Silver color theme, much easier on the eyes.
No Classic View: It would be nice for upgrading users to have a quick way to revert back to the classic view they are familiar with before learning the updated interface. While you can customize what appears on the Navbar, as well as minimize it, at this point, users are unable to revert to the old style.
Bottomline on the Updated ACT by Sage 2010 User Interface
Overall, it is a good improvement for the program. It is evident they have taken feedback in their user community seriously, and made many strides forward. It might be an adjustment for upgrading users, but overall it will help users navigate the program faster, while helping new users shorten their learning curve a bit. Learn more about ACT! 2010 here. Claim your copy of ACT! 2010 with Earlybird pricing here.
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*Photo Credit to chrisbrenschmidt
